Hasta La Creative!

W+K Portland launched a new campaign for KFC introducing yet another actor portraying Colonel Sanders. This time it’s…George Hamilton!? The famously tan actor (who is not, as Scottish indie pop band The Golden Dawn’s 1989 single on Sarah Records jokingly alleges, dead) is extra bronzed for his portrayal of “Extra Crispy Colonel Sanders” in a series of four new spots.

“I love Original Recipe, but in this sizzling summer heat, I’m feeling a little extra crispy,” Hamliton says, introducing the character in the 30-second “Lifestyle,” looking quite healthy for his age and lifetime UV ray consumption. The spot promotes the Extra Crispy $20 Fill Up, which the Extra Crispy Colonel says, “isn’t just a product, it’s a lifestyle.”

Two other spots, “Extra Crispy Boy” and “Tray,” see Hamilton promoting KFC’s Extra Crispy $5 Fill Up. In “Tray” Hamilton tans with a tray which also holds a bunch of crispy chicken (HY Connect/Chicago and the American Academy of Dermatology might have something to say about that), while “Extra Crispy Boy” sees a child transformed into the titular character by Hamilton’s suggestion to try “something extra crispy” instead of Original Recipe. The 15-second “Fun in the Sun” promotes the larger meal with the largest dose of W+K weirdness, largely absent from the spots, which tend to leave the camera lingering on the product in question. The spots make their broadcast debut this Sunday, ushering in another Colonel and another series of spots following a similar, tired formula as their predecessors.

“Just like no one person could play the Colonel, no one Colonel can sell both Original Recipe and Extra Crispy fried chicken,” said KFC U.S. CMO Kevin Hochman, said in a press release today. “And no actor was more qualified to play our Extra Crispy Colonel than a very tan George Hamilton.”

“I’d like to think that I know a thing or two about being extra crispy,” added Hamilton. “It didn’t take long for me to get into character as the Extra Crispy Colonel. One could argue that my entire career has been leading up to this role.”

Credits:
W+K PORTLAND
Creative Directors: Eric Baldwin + Jason Kreher
Copywriter: Shaine Edwards
Art Director: Matthew Carroll
Producer: Nicole Kaptur
Business Affairs: Connery Obeng
Account Team: Jesse Johnson, Andrie Wheeler, Kate Rutkowski, Madeline Parker

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Woodshop Productions
Director: Trevor Shepard
Executive Producer: Sam Swisher
Line Producer: Ursula Camack
Director of Photography: Tom Lazarevich

EDITORIAL
Editorial Company: JOINT
Editor: Kelly Brickner Lyon
Assistant Editor: Mimi Bergen
Post Producer: Chris Girard
Post Executive Producer: Leslie Carthy

VFX
VFX Company: JOINT
VFX Coordinator: Nathanael Horton
Flame Artists: MB Emigh, Leif Peterson, Dave Sarbell, Stephan Lectez, David Stern, Noah Poole
VFX Exectutive Producer: Alex Thiesen

MUSIC + SOUND DESIGN + MIX
Mix Company: JOINT
Mixer/Sound Engineer: Noah Woodburn
Sound Designer: Noah Woodburn
Song: Through the Worm Hole
Producer: Sarah Fink

TELECINE
Telecine Company: JOINT
Colorist: David Jahns
Color Executive Producer: Alex Thiesen